Wanted Felon in Custody after West Side Pursuit Resulting in Crash

A Branchville, Indiana man wanted on a state parole warrant is in custody this morning after fleeing a crash on N. Saint Joseph Avenue.

On Tuesday, January 19, 2021 at 8:00PM the Vanderburgh County Sheriff Office deputies and Indiana State Police troopers assigned to the United States Marshalls Service Fugitive Task Force were conducting an investigation in the vicinity of W. Franklin St. and Read St. in Evansville. The target of their investigation was wanted violent felon, Freddie Demarka Reed III. At the time of the investigation, Mr. Reed had an outstanding Indiana State parole warrant, and an active Vanderburgh County felony warrant for possession of narcotics. Mr. Reed has an extensive arrest record, and was known to be armed and dangerous. His previous arrests include Burglary, Possession of a Firearm as a Convicted Felon, Dealing in Methamphetamine and Dealing in Cocaine.

During the course of the investigation, Task Force officers located Mr. Reed driving a dark blue 2005 Ford 500 sedan with false and fictitious Kentucky license plates. The officers attempted to stop the vehicle, but Mr. Reed fled from them at a high rate of speed. Officers assigned to the Task Force pursued the vehicle with lights and sirens as it fled north, and then west from the area. Speeds of the pursuit reached 80mph as Reed fled west on W. Franklin St. As Reed approached the intersection of W. Franklin St. and N. Saint Joseph Ave.,  Reed failed to stop at the red traffic light, proceeded through it with no regard for traffic, and collided with a gray 2015 Toyota RAV4 that was driving south on Saint Joseph Ave. The impact spun the RAV4 and flipped it onto it’s side where it came to rest in the intersection. The driver of the RAV4 sustained only minor injuries. Reed’s vehicle came to rest only feet from the Pizza King restaurant building located at the southwest corner of the intersection.

Once the Reed’s vehicle came to rest, he fled on foot, still attempting to evade Task Force officers. Evansville Police, Indiana State Police and Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the scene of the crash to assist. Officers established a perimeter while a Sheriff’s Office K9 team assigned to the Task Force tracked Reed’s path of escape. Reed was apprehended approximately 30 minutes later after being tracked by the K9 team to an alley off of Bell Ave., a few blocks north of W. Franklin St. During his arrest, officers discovered Reed to be in possession of 28 grams of crystal methamphetamine.

A passenger in Reed’s vehicle was not injured in the crash. A puppy, which is believed to belong to Reed, was taken to Vanderburgh County Animal Control.

Reed was treated at an area hospital for a dog bite resulting from his apprehension by a Sheriff’s Office K9, and for injuries incurred from the crash. He was later released from the hospital and booked into the Vanderburgh County Jail.

ARRESTED:

Freddie Demarka Reed (pictured above), 40, of Branchville IN. Parole Warrant, Battery Against a Public Safety Official, Possession of Methamphetamine, Criminal Recklessness, Resisting Law Enforcement, Leaving the Scene of a Crash, Driving on a Suspended License, Failure to Appear Warrant.

Pictured above: Crash Scene on N. St. Joseph Ave. 

Presumption of Innocence Notice: The fact that a person has been arrested or charged with a crime is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.

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